'those baggage lifts'

Even the SAR had to admit after opening the station in 1932 that the baggage lifts and barrow way were not the best of inventions. Commented the Rand Daily Mail of 3 July 1934:

'Notice to All Travellers
Beware of the gantry (alias the Porter's Heartbeat)

• Wait turn in taxi queue before inadequate platform space in Noord Street
• Watch porter manoeuvring on twelve-foot platform
• Weigh luggage
• Pay charges
• Chase through subway and wait for luggage, which meanwhile ascends lift to gantry, travels anything up to 200 yards round gantry, descends another lift to platform, and seeks owner among congested crowd.'

Apart from many other features, the South Station building was possibly unique in that a special lift for gold bullion was installed. In those days gold was still used a great deal and the Accounting Department of the railways, which occupied a substantial portion of the building, handled millions of coins.

:: Back to TOC